I.

Where the hell am I?

It took a moment for Michael Lawson to realize that he had somehow fallen asleep on the couch. Yawning and stretching, he swung his legs over the side and noticed that a storm had developed while he was sleep, pounding the roof and windows with hard rain. Dark clouds blotted out any kind of light, casting the house in an eerie gray darkness.

Where is everyone? Why am I alone?

He took a deep breath, remembering that his parents were gone to his younger brother's piano recital, so they all would be home late, leaving him alone for about two hours. Taking advantage of the peace and quiet, Michael got in a quick nap, exhausted after school and track practice. The nap was refreshing, and he felt ready to tackle the few pages of homework he had.

Grabbing his literature book from his backpack, a worksheet of questions, a pencil and his notebook, he turned on the lamp next to the couch and dove into the latest story. Though everything seemed normal, he felt that something was out of place. And he had a nagging feeling that he was being watched…

Michael focused on his neatly written notes, easily recalling important points, events, and dates in the story. He felt comfortable with the material, and the confidence that he would do well began to build. Surely, after this test, he would have secured an A in the class, which his parents undoubtedly expected.

A clap of thunder shook the house and the lights flashed, making him nearly jump out of his seat. The rumbling continued through the sky then died away as Michael's heartbeat returned to normal.

Until he spied movement at the end of the shadowy hallway.

What was that? Is someone there? Did someone break in? Did I imagine it? What if…?

There was another shift in the shadows, an almost unrealistic bending of the faint light. Michael put his notebook to the side and stood, trying to psychically scan the house for another presence. He didn't feel another psyche there, but there was an inkling of something that set alarms off in his head.

"Is someone there?" he asked, then immediately chastised himself. He had watched more than enough horror movies to know not to ask such a stupid question—something was always there. And this time was no different.

"Michael," a low, gravelly voice called, resembling the rolls of thunder outside.

Without being able to accurately pinpoint where the intruder was, he couldn't touch it with his telekinesis. Taking a careful step forward, he squinted in an attempt to peer into the shadows. "Who's there?" he reflexively asked, realizing that he was becoming the next victim in his own personal horror movie. But he quickly chastised himself with a reminder that there was no such thing as monsters.

From nowhere, a monster faded into existence.

The beady crimson eyes gazed at him with an unhealthy interest, as the creature took an aggressive step towards him. The drawn, decayed skin folded across its forehead, while it seemed stretched too thinly across its hands, exposing muscle and veins. Instead of hair, spiked claws erupted from its head and angled backwards in an unstructured manner. Where Michael expected to see a mouth full of rows of teeth, a breathing piece covered it, extending down and disappearing into the tattled, drab rags that served as clothing for it.

Michael sucked in a breath, his mind going in a thousand directions at once. As he questioned his own sanity, he could feel the adrenaline pumping through his body, but the confusion was overwhelming, and he had trouble focusing.

In an act of desperation, he telekinetically lifted the coffee table and hurled it at the creature. Impossibly, the coffee table flew right through the creature, smashing against the opposite wall. Michael swore that it had somehow faded out of existence, but not completely out of sight then solidified.

Then, it was upon him.

It wasn't until that moment that he noticed the two mouths, opening and closing perversely in the creature's palms. As everything around him began to fade into darkness, a hideous laugh resounded as the creature lowered the mouthed hands onto his chest.

God, no!

Michael jerked himself from his nightmare, sitting up with a start. Catching his breath, he touched his chest, still feeling the unsavory touch of the creature from his nightmare.

Pushing the images from his mind, he glanced at his watch. "Six thirty in the morning?" he looked toward the window and caught the first rays of sunlight peeking through the curtains.

Where am I? Michael was disoriented and confused. This wasn't his apartment in Snow Valley. Xavier's. That's right—I'm at Xavier's.

He remembered he was approached by Sean Cassidy, the headmaster of the Xavier School for Gifted Youngsters, along with three of his students. They had been contacted by Michael's mentor, Dr. Niles Cain, who seemed to think Michael was in danger. And he was right.

Michael and the others were attacked but managed to fend off the strange enemies. It was soon after that Michael agreed to join the school until they found the rest of his friends and figured out what happened to Dr. Cain.

They had collected most of his personal belongings yesterday evening, and Everett had helped him get settled into his third floor room while giving him a verbal tour of the grounds. Michael hadn't seen the other students, but so much had already happened that he really didn't care about meeting them. He lay down, meaning to only take a short nap, but now found it to be the next morning.

Slightly groggy, Michael prepared himself for the day, taking care of all his personal hygiene before venturing downstairs. He really hadn't noticed last night, but the inside of the school was magnificent, from the decorations throughout the hallways, to the expensive oak furniture, to the Persian rugs, to the expensive décor—it seemed that no expense was spared when constructing, furnishing, and decorating this place.

He wandered aimlessly through the living room until he happened upon Everett and a blonde-haired girl setting three places at the table.

"Morning!" Everett smiled. The awkwardness from yesterday seemed to be completely forgotten.

The blonde said, "Oh, you must be the new student. I'm Paige Guthrie."

"Nice to meet you," Michael responded, detecting a hint of a Southern accent. "I'm Michael Lawson. I figured Monet had already smeared my name in the mud with the students here."

"Well, she did. But it's Monet. I like to give people the benefit of the doubt," Paige said.

Everett had gone and returned from the kitchen with bowls of food, filling the dining room with a delicious aroma. "I made some extra breakfast for you. I'm not sure if you're an early riser or not, but considering you crashed so early last night, I figured you would be up by now."

Michael gratefully smiled, as he eyed the steaming food. "You didn't have to, but thanks. I'm actually starving. Maybe you guys could tell me how things work around here."

Once they were seated with orange juice, eggs, toast, O'Brien potatoes, and turkey bacon in front of them, Michael ate and listened as Paige described the academics, teachers, and something called the Danger Room, which he recalled Jono mentioning the day before. Everett would add in information wherever needed, giving Michael a well-rounded picture of the school.

Compared to what Michael presumed the rest of the student body was like, he was impressed with Paige and had completely changed his mind about Everett. She was hospitable and kind; passionate and energetic when she spoke about the school, which told Michael she really believed in what the school was about. Everett presented himself like the student body president—confident, well-spoken, and grounded. Michael felt that he also supported the causes of the school, which led him to wonder exactly what that cause was.

"We're here to give kids like us a chance to learn and grow, without worrying about the prejudices of being a mutant," Everett clarified. "We also work together with our parent school in Westchester County…"

A realization hit Michael. "That's right. The Xavier Institute for Higher Learning. I've heard of it before, but I didn't realize the student bodies interacted with each other."

"A lot of them are our teachers," Paige explained, shooting a fleeting glance toward Everett.

Michael resisted the urge to read their minds. Instead, he asked, "Is there something you're not telling me?"

"We'll let Ms. Frost and Mr. Cassidy tell you more. I'm pretty sure we'll be seeing them sometime today," Everett evaded directly answering, which made Michael a little uneasy, but he kept his apprehension hidden.

Though curiosity was already getting the better of him, Michael decided that he would simply wait for further explanation from the headmasters. He caught a glimpse of another student groggily shuffling by, covering a huge yawn. He half-heartedly waved at the trio before rounding the corner into the kitchen.

"Not really a morning person, is he?" Michael commented.

"That's Angelo. And no, he's definitely not a morning person," Paige grinned as she answered. A clatter of dishes and cabinets came from the kitchen, and though Michael was a little alarmed, Paige and Everett didn't seem worried.

"So," Paige began, "What do you think of the environmental issue we're facing today?"

Michael gulped his food, surprised at the broad, heavy question she suddenly laid on him. He collected his thoughts then answered, "Right now, the issue seemed to be a two-sided argument, because—"

"Piece of advice, Mikey," Jubilee bounded around the corner with a concerned expression directed at Michael. "Don't let Paige like totally suck you into one of her issue convos. You'll be sittin' there all day debatin' with her."

Paige peered at Jubilee over glasses, attempting to give an intimidating stare, which only made Jubilee laugh. "Jubilee, when have I ever—"

Jubilee picked up her stride again and replied as she walked away, "Wait 'til I get some grub, Hayseed!" Still clad in a long pink t-shirt and bunny house shoes, she followed the same path as Angelo and disappeared into the kitchen.

"That's Jubilee—or Ms. Don't-call-me-Jubilation Lee," Paige informed Michael.

"I heard that, Paige!" Jubilee shouted from the kitchen, which elicited a playful giggle from Paige. But it was only a few moments later that the levity was shattered by a shrill cry from the kitchen.

"Stay away from me!" Jubilee excitedly screamed.

All three leaped out of their chairs and rounded the corner to see Jubilee, protecting a box of cereal in her right hand while her left hand was extended toward Angelo. He stood opposite her, an annoyed look etched into his features.

"You can't hog the cereal, chica!"

"After that stunt you pulled yesterday, you don't get to eat the last of the Sugar Bombs! I can't like believe you were jus' gonna totally tear through 'em without tellin' me. For that, ya get nothin'!"

"Early bird gets the worm, right? You overslept. Tough," Angelo responded.

"Is this a serious argument?" Michael whispered to Everett and Paige.

"Yes," Everett and Paige simultaneously and flatly replied.

Seeing an opening, Angelo extended his hand, stretching his skin in an attempt to grab the cereal. Jubilee dodged gracefully, causing Angelo to just miss the box.

"Slick move, but not good enough!"

"Should we help her?" Michael asked, unsure of whose side to take.

Paige shook her head. "Nope. These two are always at it. Just let them be."

"This might be fun to watch though," Everett joked.

Angelo let tendrils of skin extend from his body, all aimed for the cereal.

"That's almost as gross as Paige leavin' her skin everywhere," Jubilee shot as she leaped in the air with a split, flipped in mid-air, and landed near the other entrance to the kitchen. "Give it up, creepo! The cereal's mine. Next time, like think twice about raidin' my room."

Jubilee grinned haughtily at Angelo, until she felt the box of cereal snatched from her grasp. Surprised, she first looked at her empty hand then behind her and spotted Penance with the box of cereal, already opening it and eying the contents curiously.

"Penny—don't you dare," Jubilee warned, but it was too late. Penance poured some of the cereal into her mouth, delightfully munching the sugar-coated corn puffs. Jubilee took a step toward her, but the girl moved much too quickly, taking the box with her as she scurried down the hallway.

"You're not going to catch her, Jubes," Everett laughed.

"She's a student here too?" Michael asked, bewildered and surprised at the girl's appearance. Instantly, his mind went back to the nightmare, and the awful creature with the spiked hair. That girl resembled Michael's attacker much too closely to be a coincidence.

Though her skin appeared to be hard, and instead of hands and feet, she had long, dangerous claws, her hair wasn't hair—it was long spikes of red, exactly like the creature. Her body was wrapped in what looked like leather restraints from her neck to her ankles, giving her an edgy, almost wicked appearance.

"Yeah, but she's still kind of shy. She doesn't talk, and we really still don't know too much about her," Jubilee explained as she plopped down at the table in the kitchen. A small ensemble for two, Sean and Emma usually drank coffee there while the students ate at the large dining room table.

Before Michael could inquire about Penance more, a girl with outrageous pink hair bounded into the dining room, roughly bypassing Michael, Paige, and Everett.

"I must eat light before dance practice," she said as the bread opened, two pieces floated out into the toaster and a glass floated into her hand. She had been taking dance classes with Stevie Hunter for a week now, and she found the utmost of enjoyment spinning and gracefully bounding across the dance floor. Saturday classes were the best since they didn't interrupt school or Danger Room sessions. "Why are so many people simply standing in the kitchen this morning?" Gaia turned to Everett then spotted Michael. "Oh! You must be the guy that lashed out at Monet and Jono yesterday. I'm sure Monet despises you."

"No surprise there. Thanks for clearing that up for me," he flatly replied.

Gaia smiled as if she had just done a good deed for the day. "You're welcome. I'm here to help."

Everett nudged Michael as he said, "That's Gaia. Umm…she was the Guardian of the Universal Amalgamator."

"Is that some new job in California?" Michael asked, unsure if Everett was being serious or not.

"She's still learning the ways of the world, so she may come off a little blunt and off sometimes," Paige added.

"A little?" Michael cocked an eyebrow. He wasn't sure exactly what they meant by leaning the ways of the world, but he figured Gaia grew up sheltered and in a small town in some rural part of a state people easily forget.

Jubilee's expression changed from heartbroken to that of a pleading child, falling on the mercies of a soft parent. "Hey, since you're like heading into town, can you grab some Sugar Bombs from the store?"

Gaia began to say something but then saw Jubilee's expression. Her large brown eyes and sincere gaze made Gaia feel…well…strange. "I don't know why I feel I should agree, but I should be able to get some on the way back. Will fifty boxes be enough?"

Jubilee's grin spread wide as she nodded her head in greedy agreement.

Paige shook her head, amazed by the nonsense she was witnessing. "Gaia, hun, you have to learn about quantity. We only need two boxes at the most. Besides, those things are loaded with high fructose corn syrup, sugar, and everything else that we shouldn't be putting into our bodies."

"These Sugar Bombs are dangerous?" Gaia gasped, genuinely surprised.

"It's one extreme or the other with you, isn't it, chica?" Angelo mumbled.

"Never mind," Paige shook her head, throwing her hands up in abandonment as she turned away and headed back out into the dining room.

Gaia thoughtfully said, "These Sugar Bombs…I shall decide on my trip whether they are safe enough to enter our home. I'll see all of you later!" She telekinetically floated the car keys into her hand then she was out the front door.

Michael actually smiled. Though they were all vastly different, they all got along like a big family. There weren't any weird cliques or anything like that—they were just comfortable with each other. Just like Michael's friends at the Corporation.

It had been awhile since he had talked to them, wanting to avoid probing questions about what he was doing in Snow Valley. They all thought he was living back at home with his parents, like all of them had done. If they knew he was out here by himself, they probably all would have found some way to join him.

But now, there was no choice. The Corporation was after them. And Michael was sure that whatever they had in store once they were captured wasn't good.

Without warning, everyone heard a voice coming from inside their heads at once. "I love to awaken to the sound of Jubilation screaming at the top of her lungs. Since all of you seem to be so lively and rambunctious, we'll meet in the living room in ten minutes. We have a mission. Do not be late."

Michael couldn't believe it. "Who—who was that? Did you all hear that?" He waited to see if there was a reaction from the others, but they continued on as if nothing significant had happened.

Jubilee shrugged. "She copied it from the Prof…a telepathic summon-thingy. She does it all the time. But that's Ol' Frosty for ya."

"That was Ms. Frost, the other headmaster," Everett clarified, sensing Michael's confusion. "She runs the school alongside Mr. Cassidy. Whatever she needs to talk to us about sounds important. It's probably in regards to your situation. "

"I just hope that we're going to find Dr. Cain, and make sure everyone else is okay."

"Dude, you worry way too much. We'll totally find your doctor and friends in a jiffy," Jubilee reassured Michael.

"I hope you're right," Michael replied. He trailed behind Everett, Angelo, and Jubilee as they filed out to the living room.

II.

For the tenth time that day, Graylon Walsh hung up his phone, irritated and worried that Niles Cain hadn't answered his phone. It was only yesterday that Graylon had called and actually left a message for him. But thinking back, it had been about a week since he had last spoken to him. And, given the circumstances, meant that something was probably wrong.

Sighing heavily, Graylon thought about simply going to his house and barging in, but if everything was as dangerous as Niles had made it sound, Graylon could only be putting himself in harm's way. But what else could he do?

Pushing his empty breakfast plate to the side, he ran his fingers through his shaggy, dark blond hair then scrolled through his iPhone for any messages. The last one was from his boss, commending him on his story about Xavier's. Smiling, Graylon placed his phone back in its hip holster and gulped down the last of his orange juice.

His mind quickly went back to the Arminthorpe Corporation. Graylon knew that there was something he should be doing, but at this point, he didn't know what. And if something had happened to Niles, his interference would only make things worse. But he knew Niles all too well, and if something had happened to him, Niles had already created some kind of failsafe to ensure either his rescue or the safety of the mysterious members of his project that he referred to.

Though not familiar with the professional associates of Niles, he knew that one of members of the project, Michael Lawson, was living in Snow Valley. He was aware of the young man's presence, but under explicit instructions from Niles, Graylon left Michael alone. Given the current situation, he couldn't hold fast to that anymore. If anyone knew what could be going on, it would be him.

Resolving himself, Graylon put his dishes in the sink and within the next five minutes he dressed and out the door, on his way to Michael Lawson's apartment. He only hoped that whatever had happened to Niles hadn't happened to Michael too.

III.

Exactly ten minutes later, the older student body of Xavier's was seated in various places around the living room, listening to Michael retell his story of Dr. Cain and a brief overview of the project they were involved in. After finishing, Michael added, "I tried to call Dr. Cain last night when I first got here, but there was no answer. Maybe we should just go to his house."

"If yuir Corporation is after ye, that's the next place they expect ye t' go. Right now, the priority is to get to the rest o' yuir peers, and get them to safety. If yuir Doctor is smart, he's probably in hidin'."

"Or he's been taken by the Corporation," Michael sourly added, feeling that there should be more that he was doing. For all the powers he possessed, right now, he felt helpless and clueless. Dr. Cain had taken care of them immensely while they were at the Corporation, and Michael felt that this was his chance to return the favor, but so far, he was failing miserably.

And on top of that, he hadn't even thought about his summer class or his job at the security office. How was he going to explain to Chief Authier, Tracy, and Jude that he was enrolled at Xavier's, the huge mutant boarding house on the edge of town?

Michael's stomach knotted at the thoughts running through his head.

"For now, Mr. Lawson, our first priority will be to secure the safety of Cain's various charges. If you're done interrupting with your doomsayer interjections, I'll finish what I was saying."

Michael felt his cheeks burn hot, overly embarrassed, but said nothing in reply.

"Now, I've compiled information on all of the members of Cain's project—"

Surprised, Michael asked, "How did you get that? I thought that the Corporation's files and computer systems were under heavy security."

"We have a state-of-the-art alien computer in the basement," Jono answered matter-of-factly.

"You people have a bad habit of being way too casual," Michael snapped, fed up with people giving him curt replies.

Paige explained, "No, he's serious."

"I don't understand. I thought this place was a private school for rich kids. You've supposedly got alien computers, people from other universes, and a Danger Room—what is this place?"

Emma frowned. "This is the last question I'm going to entertain. This is a school, and so much more, Mr. Lawson. Though we're removing ourselves from the superhero business, we have the capability of deploying in support of the X-Men, or the students at the Xavier Institute for Higher Learning."

Michael held up a hand to stop the conversation. "Whoa. You're saying that these schools are a cover for superhero teams?"

"Well, we're focusing more on academics and learning to control our abilities than running around the planet saving the world fifty times over. The X-Men are fully capable of that without our help."

"But we tend t' get our fair share o' uninvited guests," Sean added.

"Which is why our Danger Room sessions are vastly important and will continue. In this day and age, as a mutant, we must be able to defend ourselves and the populace from those that have less-than-honorable intentions for us or this school. As a student of this school, you'll be under the same rules and rigor as the rest of the student body."

"Welcome to Generation X, dude," Angelo grinned.

Continuing to lay out the plan, Emma said, "Sean and I will be accompanying you on this trip, so I'm going to split you into two teams." Emma looked from student to student, deciding how to split them up properly. "Sean will go with Monet, Michael, Jono, and Everett. I will go with Jubilee, Paige, and Angelo," Emma heard a groan from Jubilee but decided to ignore it. "Tom will remain with the younger students. I expect us all to be on the road in thirty minutes. I already have two BMW X5s out front for our transportation. I expect this to be a day long trip, so no packing required. Monet."

Monet rolled her eyes. "Ms. Frost, it is necessary and imperative that at least ten variant styles of apparel are easily and readily accessible throughout the day."

"You of all students know that I feel your pain, Monet. But we'll be returning with hopefully more than we left with, so we can't spare the room."

Jubilee saw an opening and she took it. "Like what a total shame, M. You'll just have to like leave your entire wardrobe behind. Bummer, huh?"

"If you experience the obligation to persist in badgering me, then I will abscond myself from your presence, Lee," Monet replied, an air of superiority laced throughout every word.

"English, M. English."

"I refuse to participate in your childish antics today. Find some other way to amuse yourself. Maybe a chew toy," Monet flipped her long, jet black hair in a dismissive manner then kept her eyes glued to Emma.

Emma sighed. "It's simple, kids. I need your undivided attention. Uninterrupted. Now, let's try to have an attention span three times as long as a two-year old. Any questions so far?"

Paige asked, "Do we know anything about who's after them? What kind of danger is it?"

"We were attacked yesterday by these strange shadowy figures. A lot of them," Everett answered.

"Be prepared to protect yourselves, but we don't need a spectacular show like yesterday. The news tends to gravitate to our whereabouts, so we'll all have to be especially careful."

"That means no like flyin' around tryin' to be all cool, Monet," Jubilee clarified.

"I have no compunctions to hide my magnificent powers. I'm practically perfect in every way. But for the sake of our clandestine mission, I shall align myself with the request. But Lee, that also means that you cannot entertain yourself with the miniscule sparkles you so love to shoot off."

"You gels are awfully catty today," Jono mentioned.

"And that's why I split the two of you," Emma said. "Neither one of us would be able to deal with your bickering. And it would be a bad impression for the students."

"Anyways, this sounds like fun! Like when I was with the X-Men, we used to totally do this sort of thing all the time." Jubilee had a huge smile of anticipation on her face. She blew a bubble with her gum and popped it in one motion.

"Is it always this exciting here?" Michael asked.

"You haven't seen a fraction of the action that goes on here," Jubilee winked.

"We really haven't been out like this in a while," Paige commented. "I still think it's kind of sudden, but if Professor Xavier thought we could do it—"

"Hey, stop worrying. I'm not up for all this X-Men stuff, but if it means getting out of here for some action, I'm all for it," Angelo responded to Paige.

Everett looked concerned. "I agree with Paige, but we've been doing well in the new Danger Room, so we shouldn't have too much trouble."

"My team will be leaving in ten minutes. I suggest eating if you haven't done so already," Emma finished. She hoped that their trip would be uneventful, but she didn't have to be a psychic to know that things wouldn't go as smoothly as planned.

And she was right.

IV.

Upstairs, Monet selected a pair of light khaki shorts, showing off her long, toned legs. A body accentuating, sleeveless, pale green top went nicely with Monet's bronze complexion. Strap-up open-toed heels, Versace glasses and belt, small hoop earrings, and bangles finished off the ensemble.

Giving herself a glance of approval in the mirror, Monet left her room, but instead of heading toward the stairs, she headed farther down the hallway. Stopping near the end, she knocked lightly on the last door on the left then cracked it open.

"Morning, Monet!" a cheerful greeting came from Nicole. As usual, Claudette was right at her side, smiling at Monet, though her gaze seemed to go right through her. The younger, twin versions of Monet were dressed in rolled up jeans, matching t-shirts, and tennis shoes. "We're getting ready to head down for breakfast."

"I think Mr. Corsi is in there now making all of you a nice breakfast. I believe I smelled blueberry pancakes."

A big grin spread across Nicole's face. "That's our favorite. I think Artie and Leech like them too. But if not, that's just more for us!" She laughed at her own joke, a pleasant, childish giggle that made Monet smile.

Her sisters had been through a lot already, having merged to masquerade as Monet to cover up the fact that their brother, Emplate, had kidnapped her. But the ruse only held up so long, and they couldn't maintain the merger after being seriously injured and were separated. Realizing that Monet was mystically trapped within Penance, the young mutant Emplate had used to sustain his life, they merged again and then replaced Monet, imprisoning themselves. It wasn't until a surprise explosion at Proudstar Hall, courtesy of Emplate, separated the three of them, leaving all three unharmed.

Since then, the twins comfortably joined the school, mostly watched after by Tom Corsi, along with the other younger students, Artie and Leech, two young boys. And Penance, or Yvette, seemed to have no problem fitting in once again, though she was still a mystery to most. But her mutation was due to the trauma of being imprisoned by Emplate, and Monet still couldn't figure how to draw the girl out of her shell. Literally.

"Is everyone heading out? Is something wrong?"

Monet gave them a reassuring smile. "We are leaving, but we shall be back sometime later on today. There are some people that could be in serious danger, and the Professor has apparently asked that we find them and bring them back here."

"Hear that, Claudette? That means more friends for us." Nicole's expression suddenly changed, "Monet, Claudette and I want you to be careful. She thinks that there's something dangerous looming out there."

Monet didn't like the sound of that. Everything had been so quietly lately that she had gotten used to simply doing the summer things that normal teens do—go to the pool, shop, and, sometimes reluctantly, hang out with her acquaintances. But Michael's appearance and the sudden need to rescue the others gave Monet a bad feeling as well.

To her sisters, she said, "Don't worry. I shall be fine, and so will everyone else. You two shouldn't worry about me. That's my job." Heading toward the door, Monet finished, "Don't give Tom too hard of a time. Just a little though."

Nicole held up her hand, making a just a little sign with her hand and smiled.

"And tell Yvette I said bye as well." With that, Monet shut the door, her sister's warning clearly at the forefront of her mind. She only hoped that for a change, Claudette was wrong and everything would be fine. But her sister was never wrong, and that's what secretly worried Monet.

"Monet, hurry up! Emma said no packing!" Everett called up using a bit of Sean's power to amplify his voice.

"You can't rush perfection, Everett. I'll be down in just a moment," she telepathically communicated to him. Giving her sisters' room one more glance, Monet hurried downstairs and within the next few minutes, they were on the road. Only minutes after that, Emma and her team were on the road as well, both teams anticipating what they would be faced with in the next few hours.

IV.

Tom Corsi smiled as the younger students sat around the table chatting, enjoying their breakfast of blueberry pancakes, fresh fruit, and orange juice. It had been quite sometime since he had made breakfast, since most of the older students seemed to always be on the run. Every once in a while, Tom liked to take over the kitchen and prepare a big meal that everyone would rave about afterwards. But lately, he hadn't exactly had that chance.

Even during the summer, Tom ran the self-defense classes and the Danger Room sessions, which the students all had to do at least once a week. Some of them, like Jubilee, actually came in everyday as a part of her workout for a danger room session. He liked their enthusiasm, and it's what kept him going.

Since the others had taken off and the kids were eating, Tom decided to check the outer facilities to ensure they were locked then he would activate the security alarms. The last thing he wanted was unexpected trouble while everyone was away. Telling them he would be right back, Tom headed out to Proudstar Hall.

Proudstar Hall stood on the north side of the school. Built in honor of John Proudstar, it served as a constant reminder that the fight for equality between mutants and humans was not without a price. Though it symbolized a serious commitment, Proudstar Hall actually served as an auditorium and a party location for the students. It also served as a prime target for some of their adversaries, most recently Emplate.

Tom did a perimeter walk around the building, surprised at the heat so early in the morning. He then entered the hall, did a full check of the rooms, then exited, locking the doors behind him. Satisfied, Tom headed back toward the mansion, but stopped suddenly when he heard a thud behind him.

Spinning around, he found a blond girl, lying on the ground. At first Paige came to mind, but the blond hair was much too golden and seemed to sparkle in the sunlight. He rushed over and turned the girl over, checking her pulse and breathing immediately. Small beads of sweat poured off her forehead as her eyes fluttered back open.

"Wh—where am I?" she weakly asked.

Tom lifted the young girl in his arms and carried her toward the school. "Save your strength. I think you're just overheated. We'll get you into a cooler place." He entered the school, thankful for the blast of cool air, then laid the girl on the couch. "Nicole, can you grab me a small cup of tap water?"

Within seconds, Nicole was at his side with a glass of tap water. "Who is she?"

Tom took the water and handed it to the girl. She drank slowly and carefully, taking deep breaths as she did. By this time, Artie, Leech, Claudette, and even Yvette were curiously drawing near, concerned and a little frightened.

"I—I'm sorry," she shyly apologized. "I was—I think I just got lost."

Tom tried to be reassuring, but given the most recent of events, as bad feeling began to brew. "This is pretty far from the city to get lost. Where are your parents?"

"I came out here alone. I'm Lily Madison."

"Lily Madison?" Tom repeated, the name sounding awfully familiar. Then he realized where he had heard it. "You were involved with Dr. Cain, weren't you?"

She nodded, a flash of fear in her eyes.

"Don't worry. I'm Tom Corsi. A friend of yours, Michael Lawson, is here. And actually, we were looking for you and your friends."

She sighed gratefully, strength suddenly returning to her. "Thank goodness. I was so worried. I thought that something was wrong. That's why I left so suddenly. But when I got here, I think I just got lost."

"I don't understand how you ended up here," Tom said, still trying to piece the situation together. It still didn't make sense to him that the girl would have even stumbled upon the school, since it was on the far outskirts of the town. But then again, the security alarms were off, so she could have easily gotten onto the grounds. Something was missing though.

"Hey, do you want some ice cream? Maybe we could head out into the city for some," Nicole said, trying to make the girl feel comfortable.

"Leech no like ice cream," he frowned and crossed his arms. Artie agreed by creating a holographic image of ice cream with a large red X over it.

"Oh!" Lily said, suddenly noticing her audience. Artie, Leech, and Yvette grabbed her attention due to their unique appearance. She sat up quickly, alarmed. "What's going on here? Who are you?"

Tom placed a reassuring hand on her delicate shoulder. "Don't worry. They're not going to hurt you."

"I—I was just surprised. I haven't seen anyone like that before."

"Leech and Artie two of a kind!" Leech smiled at Lily. Artie created a three-dimensional smiley face in mid-air, which elicited a kind smile in return from her.

At first surprised and frightened, Lily now felt a little more steady and secure around these people. She didn't know why she felt comfortable, but something deep within told her these were the good guys. "And yes, I do like ice cream," she replied to Nicole.

"Great! Claudette and I are ready to go, Mr. Corsi."

Tom laughed. "Hold on there. Lily, I don't want to rush back out there until I know that you're okay. Were you being followed?"

She shook her head. "I don't think so. But I can't say for certain."

Tom understood the reasoning behind Nicole's suggestion. Getting the girl to a comfortable public place would probably ease her apprehension a little bit and could help jog her memory in case there was something they needed to know.

"Well, if everyone's finished their breakfast, we'll take Lily out. Leech and Artie, I'm trusting you guys not to get into any trouble. We'll be back in about thirty minutes, okay?"

"Leech understand."

"And maybe on the way, you can tell me a little more about how you got here and where your parents are."

Lily's eyes dropped, and she nodded but said nothing. Tom patted her shoulder then stood, smiling at Nicole and Claudette who seemed quite ready to go. Taking the keys to the jeep, Tom, Lily, Nicole, and Claudette were on their way to the ice cream parlor, headed straight toward a danger that none of them expected.

Notes:

Generation X and all characters related to Marvel belong to them. Any other characters are fictional

These events occur after Generation X #46. However, a noted change is that Penance and the twins have already been separated, and Penance is her own entity

Gaia is attending Stevie Hunter's dance class—the same one that Kitty Pryde and Jubilee previously attended

Tom Corsi has already arrived at the school as well. He assisted Forge in building the Danger Room, so he has a lot of technical expertise on it